(Just a quick explanation: Charlie speaks only Italian. Due to not speaking the native language, I will mostly be writing Charlie's POV in English, of course. When charlie speaks in Italian it will be in italics in Presley's POV)

Charlie's POV

The walk back to the pack house was close to nothing but miserable. My brother seethed, steam almost coming out of his ears from anger. My mate, Presley, had gone off in the direction of the training quarters. I honestly didn't know what to think. Other than that, I was upset that my mate was someone my papa had a bitter taste in his mouth for. What worried me the most, was Karsen's silence, usually, he would have something to say on a matter like this, but no words came out.

I wrung my hands together behind my back, ducking my head in what almost felt like shame. I didn't have a choice in who I was mated with, and well, neither did Presley. We were both one half of the other soul, in my twenty-seven years of life, I finally felt purpose. I was meant to be one of the greatest alpha's Luna.

I couldn't understand much of what was said between my alpha and my brother. But I knew for certain my brother was less than happy about it. But one word that was tossed around between Presley and my brother, that I knew too well, was the word 'reject.' It made my insides twist, my heart still hurt from just the mere word. I had only just met Presley and my brother was throwing it out like a greeting. And my papa? I didn't even want to think about his reaction...

"Papa is going to kill him," Karsen finally broke the silence.

"Papa wouldn't do that to me." I whimpered, stopping in my tracks. My chest tugged in pain. "He's my mate."

"He's Alexandre Reid's son. Y'know the one we talked about this morning? The same guy that has had several people in his bed." He deadpanned at me.

I furrowed my brows, my face falling in disappointment, rubbing my chest where my heart was. It hurt my feelings to have that thrown in my face, I had gone 27 years without my soulmate, just for my brother to throw it in my face and tell me that he's bedded many people. As if he weren't worthy of me. I had my own vices, I wasn't innocent myself, I'm an omega for crying out loud. My heats turn me into a sex-hungry omega. I've also read my fair share of erotic novels, neither my papa nor my brother knew about those. My mom, on the other hand, recommended the novels.

"That was before today, I'm sure just like you were with Emeilio's mother, he will be to me, faithful and trusting." I shrugged. "Did you forget how many women you bedded before her? What's the difference?"

"The difference is, you're my brother, you're my omegan brother and he's an alpha. You're pure, he's not."

"So that made it alright for you, to make the decision to ask him to reject me?" I snapped. "I may not know much English, but the word reject, I know that. I can't believe you'd stoop so low to ask him to do such a thing." I spat through my clenched teeth.

"It's the best for you."

"No! It's the best for you! You know I can die, you know and the words still fell from your mouth." I crossed my arms. "No one will ever be good for me in papa or your eyes." I quickened my pace, leaving my brother behind.

"You're damn right about that." He growled, catching up to me. "Especially someone like Presley Reid." Karsen roughly grabbed my arm, stopping me in my tracks. "If I didn't show up when I did he would have defiled you."

"And I would have let him." I ripped my arm from his grasp. "Gladly!" Wanting to cry I turned from my brother to blink back the tears. From anger or sadness was to be determined. "I'll see you at dinner, I'm not in the mood to talk to you or papa." I stormed into the pack house.

My nephew sat on the staircase his head resting on the palms of his hands, his elbows on his knees, his lips pursed out, a bored expression on his face. It was clear that Karsen had made him wait there until we got back. When I stepped into the house's foyer, his head perked up and he gave me a big grin. Jumping to his feet, he ran over to me, hugging me at my legs.

I patted the top of his head, "Millio, baby, I'm gonna go up to my room for a little bit, I need time to myself." He looked up with confusion in his eyes but nodded, letting me go.

I sauntered up the stairs, feeling heavy when in reality I should be feeling as light as a feather from finding my mate. Instead, I felt dread. My mate was the son of an Alpha my own father hated, and it was clear that my brother had shown hatred toward Presley once he found out that he was my mate. It was a stark contrast to what I thought might have happened. It wasn't welcoming and loving like I had expected, well from my family. I could see the struggle in my mate's face when he first shifted, there was an internal battle within himself that he too, was fighting.

It was a mess, something that I honestly didn't want to deal with at the moment. Why did today feel like it was going to last forever? We still had a few hours until dinner, until I saw my mate again.

I dreaded the next time I met with him, which was only a few hours from now. Would he take my brother's word and reject me? How would things work? He obviously didn't speak a lick of my language, and the same could be said for me. I didn't know much English, and the words I did know were far and few between. How did people with such a barrier work things out? I mean I'm sure my mate had translators for him, I knew he had to be a busy man, being a supernatural council head and all.

I got to my room, opened the door, my room was as I left it this morning, my white duvet was a mess on my bed. My shoes were in a small pile next to my door. The book that I had stayed up so late reading was still open, face down, on the page I had fallen asleep reading. This room was a safe haven for me, and me alone.

I pulled the sheet that covered my body and let it drop to the floor, I hadn't given it much thought. When I caught wind of him, I couldn't let him get away. The intoxicating smell of him still was engraved into my memory, I just wanted him to come into my room and have him scent everything. I wanted our scents to intermingle together, I wanted to make it noticeable that he was mine and I was his... or well at least I hoped I was his.

That led to another thought, was he going to whisk me away from my family? Would I ever see them again? He wouldn't keep me from them, right?

I ran my hand through my hair, taking a deep breath. I just had to have faith in the goddess that everything would figure itself out, no matter the obstacle in my way.

I dug through the drawers of my dresser, grabbing out underwear and a loose-fitting white v neck shirt, and a pair of loose shorts. I just wanted to be comfortable and to take a nap. I just wanted the last hour's events to go away, well besides finding my mate. That I wouldn't mind staying with me. If anything, I wished he were here right now, so he could pull me into his embrace so I could feel safe.

I made sure my door was locked before I slinked over to my bed. I didn't want to be bothered, by anyone, well besides my mate. But if I knew better, which I did, I knew my papa and my brother would be antagonizing Presley until they were blue in the face. I frowned at the thought of my mate left alone to two alpha wolves.

I couldn't get out of my head for the few hours I was left alone. No good thoughts stuck in my mind, I was mainly waiting for my papa to burst into my room and demand that I reject my mate, or drag Presley into my room by the back of his neck and demand that he reject me. The mere thought caused a dull throb in my chest, making me rub the skin above my heart.

I just wanted to be good enough for him, I hoped I was good enough for him. I didn't really care about who he had been with before me, as long as I was the only one from now to the end of our days. I knew he had his alpha desires, much like I had my omegan desires. He was able to act upon his lustful desires with little to no consequences. Meanwhile, I had to worry about my overbearing papa and brother kicking any dominant, alpha, or just man in general from looking my way. Suffering heat after heat, with no one to sate the savage desires of my wolf's needs.

That was another impending thought, my heat. It was no secret that when Alpha's and Omega's found their mate that both the Alpha and the Omega would go into their heat and rut. It was almost a chemical reaction waiting to happen, and it terrified me to a certain extent. I hadn't even had a peck on the lips, let alone indulged in the sexual desires of my omega wolf. Would he reject me for the lack of experience I had?

I rubbed at my chest again. I was breaking my heart before I could let him, numb the possible pain when the final blow hit and he did reject me.

A soft knock on the door interrupted me from the darkness I was feeling. The scent of him, I could smell Presley was on the other side of the door. I was terrified to let him into my safe space, this was my little nest, it was my escape from reality.

But I knew better to run from my fears, sometimes they were meant to be faced head-on. I just hoped my overthinking was overthinking and not correct thoughts. 

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